Thursday, August 18, 2016

Trump revamps his Team and Message, but is it Too Late?

Hours after a prepared speech on "law and order" and days after a formal address on foreign policy, Donald Trump tried to revive a struggling campaign by adding aggressive aides in another staff shake-up — this one less than 90 days before the election.

“I believe we’re adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November," Trump said Wednesday in announcing two top staff hires.

Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen Bannon will become the campaign's CEO, and veteran Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway will be campaign manager, Trump announced, tapping two backers who have encouraged his combative brand of anti-establishment politics.

The moves are widely seen as a sidelining of top aide Paul Manafort, though he retains the titles of campaign chairman and chief strategist. Manafort also issued a statement through the campaign, saying "it is imperative we continue to expand our team with top-tier talent."

The changes appear to signal that Trump, even after a series of policy speeches, will likely return to the free-wheeling, abrasive stump style that characterized his Republican primary run.